What to Include in Brand Guidelines: 12 Essentials

If you are about to build a brand book, the first question is always the same. Knowing exactly what to include in brand guidelines is the difference between a document people use and one they ignore. This guide gives you a definitive 12-item checklist, with each essential explained so you can cover everything that matters.

This is for founders, marketers, and designers who want a complete, no-gaps reference. I will list the 12 essentials in a quick table, then break each one down with what to document and how to write it well. By the end you will have a clear blueprint for a brand book that protects your identity.

The 12 essentials at a glance

Seven of these are core, meaning skip them and your guide has a hole. The rest make the guide feel complete. Now let us break each one down.

What to include in brand guidelines, item by item

Here is the full breakdown. For each essential I will say what to document and give a quick tip on getting it right. Work through them in order and your brand book takes shape.

1. Brand story

Open with your mission, vision, and values. Write the mission in one sentence and list three to five values. This frames every visual and verbal rule that follows.

Keep it tight and human. Two short paragraphs are enough. For help shaping this, see our guide on brand mission, vision, and values.

2. Personality and audience

Describe your brand as if it were a person. List a few traits, like confident, warm, or precise. Add a short note on who your audience is, since the same rules serve them.

This section connects the story to the choices. It explains why your colors and voice feel the way they do.

3. Logo suite

Include every approved logo version. That means the primary mark, any secondary or stacked versions, the icon-only mark, and the file formats. Provide both raster and vector files where you can.

For the file side, our guide on logo file formats explains which formats to ship and why.

4. Logo usage rules

This is where misuse gets prevented. Document clear space, minimum size, approved backgrounds, and a clear set of misuse examples. Show the logo on light and dark.

Be exact. State clear space in logo units and size in pixels and millimeters. Our logo usage guidelines cover the full rule set.

5. Color palette

List your colors with exact codes, not adjectives. Include HEX for screen, RGB for digital, and CMYK for print. Group them as primary, secondary, and neutrals, and note usage ratios like the 60-30-10 rule.

Add contrast notes so text stays readable. Generate and export an accessible palette with the Zepixo Colors workspace, and see our guide on how to choose brand colors.

6. Typography

Name your typefaces, list the weights, and set a clear type scale. Show heading, subheading, and body sizes with line heights. Note where to source the fonts.

If you pair fonts, explain the pairing. Our font pairing guide helps you choose combinations that work.

7. Voice and tone

Define three or four voice traits with a sample sentence each. List words to favor and avoid. Add a before and after example so writers see the shift.

This keeps your writing consistent across channels. For the full method, see our guide on brand voice and tone.

8. Imagery style

Show what your photography, illustration, and icons should look like. Include sample images and a short note on mood, color, and composition. This stops off-brand visuals creeping in.

9. Layout and grid

Document your spacing scale, grid, and common compositions. Provide a few templates for frequent assets like social posts. Consistent layout ties everything together.

10. Accessibility

State your minimum contrast ratios for text and interface. WCAG asks for 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text and UI. The Zepixo Colors workspace can check these, and our accessibility docs explain the checks.

11. Dos and donts

Pair each major rule with a quick wrong example. A visual no communicates faster than a paragraph. This single section prevents most brand misuse.

12. Assets and contact

Close with where to find the files and who owns the brand. Link to your asset library and name a contact for questions. This turns the guide into a real working tool.

For the raw files side of this, see our guide on the brand assets checklist.

How to prioritize if you are short on time

You do not need all 12 sections on day one. If you are moving fast, ship the seven core items first. They cover the questions your team asks most.

The recommended items make the guide feel complete, but they can follow. A lean guide with the core in place beats a perfect guide that never ships. Our guide on how long brand guidelines should be helps you find the right scope.

Want a head start? Open the Zepixo Brand Guidelines workspace and start from a template that already includes these essentials, ready to fill in.

A quick self-check before you publish

Before you share your guide, run it against this short checklist. Each line catches a common gap. If you can tick all of them, your guide is ready.

If a line fails, fix it before you publish. A guide that passes all six is one your team will trust and use.

Common gaps to watch for

Even careful teams leave the same few holes. Knowing them upfront keeps your guide complete. Here are the gaps worth guarding against.

The pattern repeats across every gap. Be specific, be visual, and keep the guide owned and current. Fill these gaps and your brand book holds up over time.

Putting the checklist into practice

The 12 essentials are a blueprint, but you still have to build. The good news is you do not need to design every page from scratch. A template gives you these sections ready to fill in.

That is the idea behind the Zepixo Brand Guidelines workspace. You start from a premium template that already includes the essentials, edit each part inline, then export a clean brand book. See how the pages connect in our brand guidelines overview and the page options in the pages reference.

For the full build process, pair this checklist with our guide on how to create brand guidelines. Together they take you from a blank page to a complete document.

Frequently asked questions

What should you include in brand guidelines?

At minimum, include brand story, logo suite, logo usage rules, color, typography, voice, and dos and donts. Add imagery, layout, accessibility, and an assets section as you grow. Each item should pair a clear rule with an example.

What are the most important parts of brand guidelines?

The seven core items are story, logo suite, logo usage, color, typography, voice, and dos and donts. These cover the questions teams ask most. Ship them first, then add the recommended sections.

How many sections should brand guidelines have?

A complete guide has around 12 sections, but you can launch with seven core ones. The right number depends on your size and how many surfaces you cover. Focus on coverage and clarity over a fixed count.

Do I need an accessibility section in brand guidelines?

Yes, if you want your brand to be readable by everyone. Document minimum contrast ratios for text and interface, such as 4.5:1 for body text. Tools like the Zepixo Colors workspace can check these for you.

What is the difference between core and recommended sections?

Core sections answer daily questions and prevent misuse, so skipping them leaves a real gap. Recommended sections make the guide feel complete and polished. Ship the core first, then layer in the rest.

How do I make sure I have not missed anything?

Run your guide against the 12-item checklist and the self-check table above. If every line passes, your guide is complete. A template like Zepixo also gives you the essentials built in.

Cover these 12 essentials and your brand book leaves no gaps. Build it once, keep it current, and it will protect your brand for years.